The xx on Viva Radio Me + You

Posted by alex apparel king in American Apparel on 09 14th, 2009 | no responses

Finally something
minimal… this
isn’t the first Me
Plus You – at
number 56, we’re
going strong, but
without any reason
to celebrate this
non-descript number
(OK, my father is 56
years old, but
otherwise I’ve got
nothing). However,
this is The
XX’s first ever
U.S. performance,
documented by yours
trulies.

As the bearers of
much hype, my first
natural instinct as
to how I could get a
bearing on this
group’s status and
the context in which
they sit outside of
what we experienced
with them was to
refer to Pitchfork.
For only they could
provide insight in
the form of an
afterthought on
something fated to
be popular that has
yet to have even
been discovered by
the average music
listener or a
well-versed yet
out-of-the-loop one
at that. I did this
because I feel like
it’s important to
know why it was so
imperative that we
like many others
needed to get a
piece of the action
so early on in their
existence. And what
I found was pretty
much expected – the
P4k’ers also didn’t
really understand
what was so vital
about The XX,
besides the fact
that they’re making
super solid music
at the ripe mean age
of 20.

And with that
statement, we have a
reason to celebrate
The XX. Forget
putting up with an
awkward or tired
growth period; with
their debut,
self-titled album,
this foursome are
delivering the goods
right now. With an
approach erring on
the side of
minimalism, there’s
even less to have to
sift through in
order to get to the
heart of this music,
which is full of
heart, and soul too
for that matter.
Silky smooth
boy-girl vocal
trade-offs over
sparse melodies
(note, not chords)
and a delicate
R&B-derived rhythm
section have got
names like
Beyoncé and
Young Marble
Giants penned on
index cards pinned
to the drawing
board.

NYC can’t get enough
of it – shortly
after their session
here at Viva, they
proceeded to play
6 shows in 7
days throughout
the city. We thought
that was illegal!
They’ll be back in
the fall, but until
then you’ll have to
do with your copy of
the album and this
fantastic edition of
Me Plus You. The one
where we got to them
before they got to
you.